Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry (Outreach) is pleased to announce a grant award from the Paul Culberson Agricultural Development Fund at the Polk County Community Foundation.

Outreach Executive Director Carol Newton said the grant funds would be used for Outreach’s Garden of Hope, sponsored jointly by Western Carolina Community Action (WCCA) and Outreach.

The Garden of Hope program pairs low-income families with experienced gardeners who teach the families useful life-skills, in addition to helping clients grow home vegetable gardens. The grant funds will provide participants with the money to purchase needed tools, seeds and fertilizer for a successful vegetable garden.

Michelle Reedy, Outreach’s client service coordinator highlights the goals of the program saying, “We were very deliberate in choosing the name for this program because we really do believe that it provides hope. The program gives families the opportunity to learn new skills, strengthen family ties, increase their physical health and to develop a network of community relationships.”

Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991.  The organization’s mission is to provide compassionate assistance to Polk County residents who are unable to provide for their basic life needs.  For more information on Outreach, please visit www.tboutreach.org or call 828-894-2988.

– article submitted by Wendy Thomas